Contents

Plot

Percy and Toby arrive at the station worried. Thomas has been sent away to be repaired after his accident and the Fat Controller waits for them in order to introduce Daisy, the diesel railcar who will help run the branch line while Thomas is away. Percy asks if she will leave after Thomas returns and the Fat Controller responds that it depends on her performance. Regardless, he expects Percy and Toby to welcome her and help her settle in. The two engines happily agree, so the two start by taking Daisy to the engine shed for a rest.

Arriving at the engine shed, Daisy snobbishly tells Percy and Toby that she thinks the shed is "dreadfully smelly" and that anything smelly is "bad for her swerves". This makes Percy and Toby angry, but the two carry on and take her to the carriage shed. Daisy prefers it there, but asks what the rubbish is next to her. Unfortunately, the "rubbish" is Annie, Clarabel, and Henrietta who are greatly insulted by this. Percy and Toby are forced to take them out of the shed and stay up half the night trying to soothe their hurt feelings.

The next morning, Percy and Toby are exhausted while Daisy wakes up feeling full of energy as she goes to the station to take her first passengers. Arriving, she starts to show off and attempts to woo the passengers. However, her attitude changes when Toby couples a milk van to her. Daisy refuses to take it, despite her driver's arguments and eventually starts to shudder until she blows a fuse. Everyone at the station argues with her but to no avail. Daisy then claims that her fitter ordered her never to take any trucks because she is highly sprung and pulling is bad for her swerves.

No one at the station believes her story and everyone starts to wonder why the Fat Controller brought such a lazy engine to the Island. By now the train is late however, so the crew is left with no choice but to leave the milk van behind, allowing Daisy to enjoy her journey.

As she runs, Daisy chuckles at how well her story worked and decides that she will do only the work she wants from now on.